The Gerber LMF II black infantry knife is a beast of a survival knife and is made in the ole U S of A! The weight of the knife feels great in your hand and can make its way through 2 inch tree branches without issue. This knife was built with a soldiers view in mind, which is why it includes serrations half way up the blade to easily cut cordage, but makes sharpening a bit more difficult you will need to use a diamond rod for the serrations. The infantry portion of the name came after it was given as a demo knife to American soldiers in Afghanistan & Iraq. While it’s not a full tang knife (push tang) it holds up well under stress and has a drop point blade and a thick spine.
The Kraton grip is easy to hold and stays in your hand. Its also insulated just incase you need to cut some live electrical. We hope to bring you the full story about how the knife was used to cut power to protect the location of US Soldiers from Afghan insurgents. The pommel has a point so it’s easier to smash things like nuts, hammer camping stakes, and break glass when needed. The handle also comes with three holes so its easy to make into a spear tip. The sheath with the built in sharpener allows for right or left side carrying and the blade is made out of 420HC steel which has caused some to have concerns with the knife’s blade retention. The sheath isn’t really made to wear and is a bit difficult to pull out or put in. Which can be a good think if carrying upside down on a backpack.
The knife is great for light chopping and durability is definitely where the knife excels (again made in America!). The knife is a bit bigger than it looks. Folks with small hands or girly men might consider going a different route. Something we don’t recommend but you can consider doing is sharpening the top edge of the blade. We have heard some folks have had good luck using a grinder to sharpen the top edge of the blade which allows for some great blade action in both directions, watch out MacGyver. Lastly when it comes to the blade its coating holds up very well. We’ve seen no flaking, chipping, etc. to the blade with heavy use.
So when it comes to owning the ultimate survival knife the Gerber LMF II Black Infantry Knife certainly qualifies as a candidate and is definitely budget friendly. Gerber has been making knives since 1939 and definitely has a winner on its hands with the Gerber LMF II Black Infantry.
